We will have two serving opportunities this month (March) to pass out many of the shoes we’ve collected for our #givemilesaway campaign! Below are the details… Email us if you are interested:
Terence
Today marks 90 DAYS since we officially launched our site, blog, and went public with #lovebeyondwalls… It has been an amazing ride so far, and we hope to continue to change and impact lives all over the world.
It has been really cool to see our ten year history (severing the community) start to impact so many lives. God deserves all the credit.
Below is a quick update charting our movement over the last 90 DAYS… Of course it includes numbers (which I don’t like sharing), but it at least reveals some sense of measuring. I have chosen to share this because we have had many supporters, donors, and people to sow into to our organization. We want to reveal to our supporters how they are helping us to move and impact lives!
20 FACTS FOR #LOVEBEYONDWALLS IN 90 DAYS
- We have led 3 people to faith.
- We have baptized 1 individual.
- We have gotten 3 people off the streets.
- We have established over 50 relationships with people who are homeless.
- We have served over 1K homeless men, women, and children.
- We have mobilized over 1K volunteers both local and nationally to get involved with our campaigns.
- We have generated over 30 partnerships.
- We have raised over 12K socks from local and national supporters to distribute to the homeless community.
- We have raised over 1K hygiene products to distribute to the homeless community.
- We have partnered with 5 churches to mobilize people.
- We have secured 5 drop-off locations.
- We have stopped three evictions.
- We Have raised over 1K shoes to distribute to the homeless community.
- We have had over 15K website visits around our awareness campaigns.
- We have grown our social media following by %1000 (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
- We have set up our first educational campaign.
- We have worked with two major news stations, and 1 radio station.
- We have mobilized over 200 students in K-12 schools to get involved in our efforts.
- We have partnered with 5 schools.
- We have inspired over 100 people locally and nationally to start their own community work.
- We have made history with the first 30 mile walk for homelessness in the city of ATL.
There are more facts….but I can’t share them all right now. However, I want it to be known many of the numbers above are not to pat ourselves on the back, but to track what God has miraculously done as we have selflessly given ourselves to the work of God.
WE WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR SUPPORTING!
We hope to continue to have more of an impact in 2014 as we share more of our creative efforts. I ask that you keep our efforts, campaigns, and ideas in your prayers.
Terence
I’m up thinking (5AM)… I cannot believe I made thirty miles walking! In fact, my eyes are sweating (LOL). I don’t think I was strong enough to make a 15 hour walk, but God saw me through it…
Over the last two days, I have gotten many pats on the back, encouraging words & well wishes for walking thirty miles on behalf of homeless people in Atlanta (and this country)… BUT, I don’t think I deserve the credit…
Why? Because without God, and the good people who were around me, I would have not completed the 30 mile walk–literally! The pictures below (among many others) prove my point:
There were many individuals & social media followers who pushed, encouraged, and stood with me the whole way (even people I don’t know). Additionally, there are many people on the #lovebeyondwalls team that helped make the “LOVE RALLY & WALK” possible. Many people on the team even stayed the night with me in the parking lot at Crossroads Church (I’m extremely grateful for them).
What am I saying? I’m glad you asked. Without God, my wife/family, & a solid support system, #lovebeyondwalls wouldn’t be anything. Of course we would do work, but not without the support from good people that God sends.
So instead of making this blog about me, I would like to make it about the people who made history with me, and the people we advocated for–people who face homelessness by living on the streets, in shelters, or living with loved ones without a residential address. It’s over a million of you! And, If you fit this category, YOU DESERVE A VOICE!
It’s the people that go through life without support that need a voice! It’s the individuals who have a heart to serve and help others that need the platform. NOT ME. I’m just trying to be obedient to God, and follow Jesus’ model… I know if he were walking the earth, he’d be involved in broken communities and loving on the poor.
Although I cannot name everyone who helped, I’d like to say you know who you are! You rock, you are special, and God is using you to help uplift people who are looked down upon!
In closing, I would like to list four words that I thought about the entire walk that helped me finish:
1) Resilience – This word means to continue despite present difficulties, and to press forward continuously.
2) Love – This word is a verb, and must be shown through demonstration. This word also restores and protects.
3) Teamwork – This word means nothing in this world happens alone… There is always a team needed to achieve great goals.
4) Family – This word helped me to remember that I have a solid support system who believes in me–my wife, kids, and loved ones!
Terence
During my personal research this morning, I was inspired through many of the stats that I came across! Why? Because many of them touched my heart.
In fact, while walking thirty miles, I am going to post many of them on my social media platforms. Below is one stat that really hit close to home…
Terence
Are you like me? Sometimes it’s hard for me to be vulnerable and ask for help... LOL. Not in a bad way, but when it comes to asking for financial support it is tough.
Well, I’m in a place where I can’t be uptight any more. God is definitely doing something with #lovebeyondwalls, and is pushing us to take a leap of faith even more.
Last month, we were introduced to a local building in our area (the picture is below). This building could possibly be the starting place for the #lovebeyondwalls team.
In fact, it will give us a greater opportunity to HELP & SERVE more people. And, if we can do that, more life change can happen! Did you know in less than three months we have mobilized over 1K people to get involved in our campaigns, over 20 businesses, and have grown our social media platform by 1000%… This is not to brag, but to say maybe God is up to something!
Here is the actual building:
But, we still need your help… We need your help to secure our first office space. It will take at least 10K to get in this building and operate for one year. What will we do in the building? I’m glad you asked.
1) Base – This would be our base to work from, dream, raise up leaders, and collaborate more to impact the area around it, and the city of ATL.
2) Storage – We would use this place as storage and a place to get more organized to lead more community engagement projects.
3) Train – We would train, teach, and lead people on how to do what we do.
4) Restore – We would use it as a place to counsel, build relationally with people, and work to restore the lives of those we serve.
Our goal is to raise 10K… We have a gofundme page, and a starter amount of 5K. If we could get 200 people to give $25 this would give us half of our budget to secure this place.
Therefore, not only are we walking to raise awareness, we are walking to get planted to HELP more people.
If you would like to give, please visit our page [HERE], and consider making a contribution. I believe that we have the opportunity to change the world around us for God’s glory. I personally ask that you would consider helping us to get planted and established.
Terence
Over the next 4 days, I’ll be Tweeting, Facebook-ing, and Instagram-ing stats on poverty, homelessness, and hunger! These stats and many more have fueled my attempt to walk #30miles straight. The stat that touched me this morning is found below…
Why focus on education as it relates to homelessness? Because the other day, we had a group of brave students (who are not homeless) do a project on our organization.These students presented on what we stand for, how we mobilize people, our coming campaigns, and encouraged some of the judges to participate. This has encouraged #lovebeyondwalls to launch its Educational Campaigns soon.
Pray for us as we gear up to walk for 1 million students who may be homeless.
Terence
Hey,
Below are the three simple things you should know about the walk
1) Homeless in parking lot – On Feb 28th, I will sleep in a tent in Crossroads Church parking lot (Douglasville, GA) the night before I walk 30 miles to raise awareness. You are welcome to join me to sleep outside that night in the parking lot.
2) Waking up early – On March 1st, I will wake up from my (hopefully) restful night, and begin walking at 4AM to raise awareness of homelessness in the city of ATL, and across this country. Why? To give homeless people a voice, to raise shoes (1K), and to hopefully raise some funds to get us a storage place for a year to house all donations.
3) Meet me – I am walking the entire Bankhead HWY… So, at any point you want to join in, please do. Or, if you want to wait until I get close to the city, join in on the last mile on North Side Dr.
Below is a graphic restating these three simple things! We are eight days away before #lovebeyondwalls give a “VOICE FOR HOMELESSNESS!”
Terence
Have you ever had the “WHAT IF’S…?”
You know what I mean…
What if this doesn’t work?
What if I don’t make it?
What if I’m crazy?
What if they laugh at me?
What if this is in vain?
What if… what if… what if… (If you have ever attempted to do something beyond yourself, you know what I mean)!
Well, last night it really dawned on me that I only have 10 DAYS left before I attempt to walk 30 miles to raise awareness about homelessness and how difficult it is for homeless people to survive on the streets. I kept thinking, “What if my body shuts down…what if I catch cramps… what if nobody joins in…” I don’t know why, but those “what if’s…” started to change my focus, and cause me to doubt a little.
I literally had to snap myself out of it, and refocus on the main objective which is to give homeless people a voice! I had to tell myself all last night that this is NOT about me… It is about people in this country who have not had a voice about their stories! With that being said, I am going to give my ALL so people can have a voice! Especially my friends who are homeless under the I-20 bridge.
But there is something to be said about the “what if’s…” These negative thoughts have the power to paralyze you and cause you to fear! In fact, if you “what if….” too long, you’ll begin to doubt the mission (your mission), your purpose, and abort it.
Here’s the truth though, we ALL will have these moments! We will ALL have the “what if’s…” But, it is also up to us to respond to them with courage and tenacity. How do you fight your “what it’s….?”
I fight mine with three simple things:
1) A big picture – This is where you keep your eyes on the main thing or main reason for doing it.
2) A little accountability – This is where you make yourself accountable to people who will push you when you feel weak (this also includes accountability to God).
3) A huge memory – This is where you remember the wins, and how far you’ve come. If you forget your wins, you’ll drown when losses are present.
Below is a picture of a box of shoes that were mailed anonymously to #lovebeyondwalls yesterday for our #givemilesaway March campaign! It has fueled #3 on my list above!
“STOP WHAT IF-ING…”
Terence
Today, I am 11 DAYS AWAY!
Help us #givemilesaway for our March Campaign! I am walking thirty miles to raise 1K shoes for those who are homeless and in need. Drop-off locations are on the artwork below! Spread the word…
Terence
